Cashew Chicken
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Grab a pan, gather your ingredients, and get ready to whip up homemade cashew chicken that’s every bit as tasty as your favorite take-out.
Craving the flavors of your favorite Chinese take-out? This delicious cashew chicken recipe is a breeze to make at home. You don’t need a wok, just a large nonstick skillet. And aside from the chicken, the only chopping involves fresh garlic and scallions. The rest of the ingredients are easily found in your pantry in bottles and jars. Heads up: Stir-fries cook very quickly, so it’s essential to have everything measured and ready to go before you start cooking. And when it comes to the chicken, take care not to cut the pieces too small; larger chunks ensure they cook evenly without becoming overdone.
“Quick and easy. My teenage son and his friends all raved how good it was. Thanks!”
What You’ll Need To Make Cashew Chicken
- Roasted, unsalted cashews: Provide a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the dish.
- Water: Used for adjusting the consistency of the sauce.
- Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent for the sauce, giving it a glossy appearance and helping it adhere to the chicken.
- Hoisin sauce: Adds a sweet, savory, and slightly tangy flavor to the dish. Be sure to use a high-quality brand, such as Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee—it makes a big difference.
- Soy sauce: Provides saltiness and umami flavor.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins: A lean cut that’s tender when stir-fried.
- Vegetable oil: Used for stir-frying the chicken and aromatics.
- Garlic and scallions: Garlic adds aromatic flavor, while scallions contribute both flavor and color to the dish.
- Rice vinegar: Adds a tangy and slightly sweet flavor to balance out the flavors.
- Asian sesame oil: Provides a distinct nutty aroma and flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, place the cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Toast in the oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes. (They will crisp up as they cool.) Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the water, cornstarch, hoisin sauce and soy sauce. Set aside.
Next, season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over high heat until very hot. Add half of the chicken to the skillet.
Stir-fry until lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet; then add remaining chicken, garlic and white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry until the chicken is lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and add the rice vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
Add the sauce mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens, cashews and sesame oil.
Serve with rice.
You May Also Like
Cashew Chicken
Grab a pan, gather your ingredients, and get ready to whip up homemade cashew chicken that’s every bit as tasty as your favorite take-out.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup roasted, unsalted cashews
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, best quality such as Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 8 scallions (1 bunch), white and green parts separated, each cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast in the oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside; they will crisp up as they cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the water, cornstarch, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Set aside.
- Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over high heat until very hot. Add half of the chicken to the skillet and stir-fry until lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet; then add the remaining chicken, garlic and white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry until the chicken is lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and add the rice vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
- Add the sauce mixture to the chicken; cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is nicely thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens, cashews and sesame oil. Serve immediately.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (4 servings)
- Serving size: about 1 1/4 cups each
- Calories: 464
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Sodium: 855 mg
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Made this tonight for my wife and myself. Fantastic! We left out the garlic and it was still “like eating in a restaurant” according to my wife. Thanks!
Unbelievably delicious meal! I have made other cashew chicken recipes but this one is tops!! I think the hoisin sauce does it.
I’ve made this several times and we love it. Tonight I added broccoli florets- stir fried them before adding all the chicken back and also a can of bamboo shoots and a can of sliced water chestnuts for additional texture and bulk. Other times I’ve added sliced carrots, celery and a bit of fresh grated ginger. It’s always a hit!
Came out better than take out! I did add some extra garlic powder to the chicken with the salt and pepper.. because I love garlic. However, I don’t think it really needed it. Loved this dish!
So much better than I was expecting! We doubled the sauce, sautéed some extra veggies and mixed it all together. Definitely a stronger flavor than our local restaurant, but it was delicious! Will definitely make again. Thank you!
This is a go to favorite! I think it is so flavorful and so fun to make! My family prefers this recipe over getting take out at a local restaurant.
Maybe I did something wrong but I was not a fan of this recipe I felt like it was pretty vinegary for only having 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar and it really lacked the Chinese flavors I enjoy.
I am not a huge fan of the taste of hoisin sauce and I felt like I tasted too much of that in this recipe. A little bit too much of the rice wine vinegar too. I feel like cashew chicken is much more simpler then this recipe, but it came close! Just a different take.
I can’t believe I waited so long to make this. We order cashew chicken from our local Chinese place on Fridays. I thought I would mix it up last Friday and make it at home, despite protests from my family. IT WAS SOOO GOOD! What’s more, my family thought it was better than our usually take-out. A few days later, I tried your beef and broccoli. Delicious! These recipes may have ruined take-out for us, but in a good way. 😉
Your recipes look amazing (I just found you on-line).
I was wondering can this dish be prepared a day or two in advance and then reheat?
I will be a busy beaveer cooking for the holidays and it would help if I could make most of the dishes ahead of time so I will be able to spend more time with my family (granddaughter especially).
Also I would like to know if your oven cooked Brisket can be adapted to cook in my slow cooker and if so what the changes might be.
I do intend to make a chicken dish and open to which one. I like using coconut aminos for my sauces rather than soy based sauces.
I also thought a brisket would be great too.
So one red meat and one chicken dish it is!??
I will be cooking a 3 pound at the most brisket as two of the guests don’t eat red meat.
There will be 5 adults and one 4 year old at the table.
Also I will be making either your green beans recipe or the brussel sprouts with the balsamic glaze.
Looks so amazing and very yummy!
Again can the veggies be cooked a day or 2 in advance and reheated.
If so what temp and for how long?
Thanks a lot.
Happy Holiday Season
Deena
Hi Deena, so glad you discovered the website! While I really think this dish is best if eaten right after it’s prepared, a few readers have commented that they’ve refrigerated and then reheated it; so you could certainly give that a try.
Regarding the Brussels sprouts, you can roast the sprouts ahead and then reheat them in a 350-degree oven (wait until after reheating to add the honey and balsamic vinegar). Hope you enjoy both dishes if you make them!
Delicious recipe but you really need to double the sauce.
Did it last year for Christmas, and denitely repeating it this year.
Greetings from Chile!